New Testament in a Year

The Chief Priests and Elders Plot to Kill Jesus

26 And it happened that when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, ² “You know that after two days the Passover takes place, and the Son of Man will be handed over^[a] in order to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas, ⁴ and plotted in order that they could arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.^{[b] 5} But they were saying, “Not during the feast, so that there will not be an uproar among the people.”

Jesus’ Anointing at Bethany

⁶ Now while^[c] Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came up to him holding an alabaster flask of very expensive perfumed oil, and poured it^[d] out on his head while he^[e] was reclining at table. ⁸ And when^[f] the disciples saw it^[g] they were indignant, saying, “Why^[h] this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor!” ¹⁰ But Jesus, knowing this,^[i] said to them, “Why do you cause trouble for the woman? For she has done a good deed for me. ¹¹ For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me. ¹² For when^[j] this woman poured this ointment on my body, she did it^[k] in order to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Arranges to Betray Jesus

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and^[l] said, “What are you willing to give me if I in turn deliver him to you?” So they set out for him thirty silver coins. ¹⁶ And from that time on, he began seeking a favorable opportunity in order that he could betray him.

Jesus’ Final Passover with the Disciples

¹⁷ Now on the first day^[m] of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ And he said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am celebrating the Passover with you with my disciples.”’ ¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover. ²⁰ And when it^[n] was evening, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.^{[o] 21} And while^[p] they were eating he said, “Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me.” ²² And greatly distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely I am not he, am I,^[q] Lord?” ²³ And he answered and^[r] said, “The one who dips his^[s] hand in the bowl with me—this one will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born.” ²⁵ And Judas, the one who was betraying him, answered and^[t] said, “Surely I am not he, am I,^[u] Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said it.”^[v]